The movie “Pleasantville” (Produced and directed by Gary Ross in 1988) is more than just your ordinary film. Pleasantville sends a message within a message. Not only is it a great film, (made popular by New Line Cinema) it contains numerous biblical references. Some of the biblical references in this film may be easier to see and understand than others. But when asked to analyze this film and critique the biblical references you will understand just how many there are.

To me the most obvious relation to the bible is in a scene where the main character David (Tobey Maguire) is the first to see a fire that breaks out in a tree in his front yard. Ironically enough, the tree is on fire, but is not consumed by the flames, it’s burning but
So this biblical reference doesn’t necessarily correspond with any specific part of the bible, just sin in general.

The people that sinned were turned into color, and at first if you were colored, you were frowned upon. But as more and more people “sinned” it became the “ new norm”. So at first sinners were looked at in a negative way, but as more and more people sinned it became okay, and there was a neutral outlook on them.

If I had to match a few characters in the movie to people in the bible I would say that Betty Parker (housewife) is most life Eve. I say this because at first she is so innocent and has no idea what sinning (or having sex) is. Then when she finally did sin she didn’t even understand or realize what she was doing was wrong. Jennifer ( Mary-Sue) to me, is most closely related with Satan. I say this because she was the one that first had sex (sinned), and she also spreads the knowledge of evil (sex).

For example, in the movie Jennifer teaches her mother how to please herself, and she was also the first one to bring sex to Pleasantville. I would also say that David reminds me most of a Prophet because he is sent to Pleasantville and all in all he “delivers a message” to say the least.

Another biblical allusion in the film that most people do not catch, would be the scene where David, and the soda shop owner paint a mural on the wall. They are expressing themselves, but, after doing